Reunion With a Forgotten Soul
by ScatteredSapphireRoses
Summary: After much effort, Ib made back to our world, but had to leave Garry behind. It's been 8 years since then, and Ib is returning to the art gallery. After finding 'The Forgotten Portrait', she goes on a hunt to find her friend. But the foes she faced as a child have returned and aren't backing down. How will she face now that she's alone? Possibly an Ib/Garry. Fail summary is fail.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hi! This is my first Ib fanfiction! I hope you enjoy it! If it is recieved well, I'll update soon!

Disclaimer: I don't own Ib.

* * *

"Ib, dear, are you ready to leave yet?" My mother calls out to me from the floor below. "Yes, mother! One second!" I finish brushing my dark chocolate hair and stare at my reflection in the large mirror. Today I was visiting the Guertena art gallery, named in memory of the exhibits' creator. I had visited the gallery previously as a child, nine years old to be exact. Though today, after turning seventeen the week before, I was returning.

"Ib!" I sighed, standing from my position at the mahogany vanity. _I guess that's my queue to return to reality._ I check my skirt pocket one final time, smiling when I found my handkerchief and the familiar wrapping of a lemon candy. I then left my room, ran down the winding staircase, and joined my parents on the way out of our home.

During the drive to the exhibit, I could not help but feel a faint feeling of nausea. It was if my body was recoiling, though, without a known reason as to why. _Why do I feel so… so unsure? _I brushed the thought to the back of my mind and continued to stare at the fleeting scenery outside my window. When we arrived, I quickly parted ways with my parents, wishing to view the gallery alone. "Just be careful." Was the only reply.

I walked through the white hallways, taking my time to view each piece. Some, such as 'Eternal Blessing' seemed to bring a familiar contentment, while some, such as 'The Lady in Red' left me slightly apprehensive. These feelings became stronger as I examined each piece, leaving me confused. _They're only paintings, why do I feel like they'll jump out at me any minute? _

Though as one painting came into view, I felt new emotions make themselves known. Sadness, loneliness, guilt. Every one crashed over my very being like a wave. The painting was called 'The Forgotten Portrait'. It was of a young man, looking to be about eighteen, supposedly sleeping. He was wearing a torn navy coat with a olive-coloured shirt underneath, his light lavender hair softly draped over one eye. Sapphire roses surrounded him and he looked to be sad, his small mouth curved into a slight frown.

The more I stared, the stronger my emotions grew until my view was clouded by brewing teardrops, threatening to fall down my cheeks. _Why am I crying over this? _I could not explain it, but this man somehow seemed familiar. Though no matter how hard I tried, I could not place an identity to him. I wiped the tears away, and looked at him once more. I cannot explain it, but 'he' seemed to call to me. As much as it bothered me to do so, I decided to leave the painting, in search of one without such powerful feeling attached.

After several minutes of wandering, I finally came across one that did just that. I saw that it was named 'Fabricated World'. _An odd name. _I looked at it. It looked like the gallery, scribble-like paint strokes reflecting and image similar to the entry. It looked life like and, just to test, I placed my hand on it's golden frame. In an instant, it vanished, leaving me stunned. _Where did it go? _My mother has always told me that my curiosity will get me in trouble, and I truly believe her, because once I knew no one was around, I jumped into the liquid world.

* * *

I smiled as she came closer to my glass barrier, the small frame I have been confined to for who knows how long finally seemed less lonely. _You've returned. At last, I can be sure that you made it back safe. _


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm back with Chapter 2! Sorry if it took a while.. **

**Lesson of the day: School is a waste of time.**

**Anyway, this chapter is longer than the last. I had a lot of fun writting it too. **

* * *

I was unsure sure of exactly where I was, though I knew I was far from my position in the gallery. I pushed myself up off the floor, and looked around. Just as I had predicted, I was in area that reflected the painting's image, though no one was around. I brushed off my skirt and checked for my belongings, slightly reassured to know that they were there. _I guess I should check to see if anyone's around. Maybe they can tell me what's going on. _I exited the hallway and proceeded through the gallery.

As I walked through the empty hallways, I kept my attention focused, hoping to hear someone in the distance. I had no luck with doing so. Letting a deep sigh escape my throat, I walked down the small staircase to the entry. "Hello?" I called, hoping that somebody would answer. I jumped as the lights flicked off in response. _O… Okay… This is a bit creepy now… _Everything about this seemed like déjà vu but despite the growing fear, I continued on, checking each room of this strange gallery.

Finally, I had made it back to the hallway I had entered through, the one housing the 'Fabricated World' painting. But something was different this time. As I looked at it, I could see blue paint oozing out from its golden frame. I came closer, examining it. As I did, blood red letters appeared under my feet. "**COME PLAY WITH ME IB**". I stared at the message, my eyes wide with shock. Reading the command, I could hear a voice in my mind repeating it. It was that of a young girl, probably about eight. She sounded like a spoiled brat, screaming out for a toy. Just the very thought of this girl sent chills down my spine. I looked at the painting again and saw a message written in the blue liquid. "**Come downstairs Ib. I'll show you a secret**". Scared of the consequences of ignoring the message, I followed its directions.

Doing so lead me to the main hall of the gallery's bottom floor, and to 'Abyss of The Deep', a painting that took up most of the floor in the room. Unlike the last time I had seen it, this time part of the rope barrier separating me and the eerie painting was missing, blue footsteps leading up to it. _Is this the secret? I guess so. But what am I supposed to do? Just walk into it? _I sighed again, the things my curiosity forces me into. Taking a deep breath, I did just that.

* * *

After what felt like a minute or more of falling, I landed at the foot of a dark blue staircase. I stood up and looked around. _Great… Just what I needed! Another creepy place to navigate. _I sighed and started walking down the hallway at the bottom of the stairs. Reaching the end, I found a crimson rose in a crystal vase, seemingly shimmering. I stared at it in awe and found my self reaching out, taking it into my possession. After doing so, I felt… different. As if I was safe from what surrounded me. I smiled to myself. Just as the painting had stated, a crystal vase was an 'Eternal Blessing'.

With the rose in my possession, I continued on through this new world. While moving through, I solved puzzles I have never seen before, as if I had done them only minutes before. It was weird, for a lack of a better term. Though I dismissed it, just happy to get out of the rooms quickly. Every once in a while, a painting or sculpture would seemingly come to life, hell-bent on my demise as it chased me. Eventually I would be caught and, when it happened, a petal from my rose would wither and fall to the ground. After loosing a few petals, I would rush to a vase, instantly healing the injured flower.

As this continued, more things seemed familiar, like past memories I had lost. And in my mind, I could see two people. One was a young girl wearing a old-styled dress. She held a pink bunny, smiling at me. The other one was the Forgotten Portrait. He was smiling as well, holding my hand as if he was comforting me. _Who is he?! And why do I know him?! _I sighed once more, trying to push him and the girl out of my mind as I continued working through the gallery.

* * *

The frame served as a mirror, allowing me to see her. I was so happy I can't even explain it! All this time, I was unsure if she had made it or if Mary had gotten to her first. But now, I was able to see her, completing the puzzles we had done together long ago. Though, unlike back then, she has grown. Instead of the tiny, little girl who walked beside me, keeping me from insanity with her company alone, she was now a proud-looking young adult, staring the dangers surrounding her with a calm mind and a level-headed way of thinking.

But one question popped into my mind more than any other. _Why is she here? _If I was her, I would have ran from anything remotely related to Guertena, let alone return to this dreaded place. _Could it be that she came back for me? _The idea seemed far fetched, even when compared to all the things the two of us have seen when we had and had not been together. It's probably been years since then, based on how she looked now. She's probably forgotten about me, only here by mistake.

_Whether or not that was true, it doesn't matter. I'll watch over her anyway. To be honest, this place was is dangerous. Call me crazy, but in my mind, I can still hear __her__. She may still be around, toying with this world like a puppeteer from her confined space. And if that's the case, Ib'll need more help then she thinks. _

* * *

**Do you know who the puppeteer is? I'm sure you do. (Note: She wears green!)**

**I'll update sooner this time. The hamster in my brain is running faster now since I finished this.**

**Until then, bye~!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Oh my god! It's been forever since I've updated. I really liked writting this chapter. Besides just sticking with Ib, I spent my time with Garry (my Garr-bear -u-) so I hope you enjoy it. **

**This Chapter (and the others) has spoliers to certain endings so read with caution. **

**Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

_Ugh… How long has it been now..? _I sighed, raising my arm to stare at my sliver wristwatch. It stopped working what seemed like hours ago, so I could only guess. _Probably been hours.. Mom must be worried. _I had tried finding an exit several times, nut only made a fool of myself to the stoic painting littering the dark walls.

It seemed mundane after a while, the path I took did. Solve a puzzle, get ambushed by a painting or statue, heal my rose. Though, I couldn't be bored. Once you feel as close to death as I had at times, you lose any sense of boredom that could be in your system. Only two things would linger in your body. Fear and adrenaline. They took their respected intervals in my mind, leaving me alert and awaiting a sneak attack.

I walked down another hall, constantly looking around me. _This place… It has a different atmosphere.._ A very different atmosphere. It had two branching paths, connected by a narrow hallway. After an intense game of Eene-Meene-Minee-Moe, I found myself walking down the hallway to the second door.

_**SHING **_

Just as I crossed half of the hall, green vines launched from the ground. I jumped, facing what I thought was a foe with a fake sense of bravery. I calmed slightly though, not as threatened when I found a plant to be the enemy. I sighed heavily and walked towards the vines. _How am I going to get rid of these? _I grabbed one and tried to pull it from its roots. My eyes widened when it refused to budge. _T-They're made of stone!_ _I can't get rid of them!_ _Am I stuck here now? _I looked around._ No.. There has to be another exit from this side. _I let go of the vine. _It's my only option at this point.. And it can't hurt to check… _

I entered the room to my right and was greeted by boxes full of art supplies. I checked every one, expecting a palette knife for some reason, but with no luck. After finding nothing else of interest, I left the room and continued on. As I entered the next area, it felt different again. Like I was being watched. I clutched my rose tightly, looking as far around as I could without sudden movements. And as soon as I felt it, it was gone. I sighed in relief. _I'm already tricking myself to be scared. _Shaking off any feeling of distress, I walked onward.

Though, every once in a while, the feeling would return. The feeling that a set of eyes was watching me, studying me, calculating each move I made. It was creepy, to say the least. And as that feeling was present, the statues attacks became move barbaric. Simple swings of their arms turned to full-force punches. Slight kicks in a feminine fashion turned powerful and masculine. And the paintings, oh the paintings! The Lady's in Red that once clawed slowly behind me were now chasing me faster, like Satan's flames were burning the back of their frames. Even my fastest of sprints that won me recognition were only keeping them inches from my heels. And did I mention that running in dress shoes is difficult? Well it is.. I had to rip the taps off a few hours ago. Anyway, back to the main point.

I was walking down one hallway, searching for signs of an exit, when I came across a mirror. _Weird. What's this doing here? _I approached it slowly. _Can't hurt to see what I look like.. I probably look horrible though.. _I stood in front of it, and smiled for the first time in a while at what I saw. I looked relatively close to how I did when I left the house this morning. The same chocolate brown hair, ending at the base of my skirt in straight strands. Only a few were misplaced during my 'fights' with the artwork. I looked tired. My eyes rimmed with a dark brown shade, probably caused by stress. But despite these things and the occasional red stain on my white blouse, I looked fine.

As I examined myself, trying to find a flaw, something flickered in the bottom right of the mirror, where the exit was. A girl, clad in a green dress that looked antique that poofed out in the skirt part. It came down to the middle of her shins. Her hair was golden, framing her face in spiraling curls as it traveled down her back. She clutched a small blue doll to her chest, it's crimson eyes seeming to glare at me. She giggled in a creepy, high-pitched manner, waving with her free hand before disappearing into the dark hall and out of my vision.

Frightened, I ran over to where she was, looking for a trace of where she had went. Small rose petals, the same golden colour as her hair, were scattered around. A message that looked to be written in crayons was written crudely on the wall. **WELCOME BACK IB WONT YOU COME PLAY SOON . **My breath hitched as I slowly pieced together the almost intelligible words sprawled across the wall. _What is with these messages?! And who is that girl? And how does she know my name? _She was like a distant memory. I could remember her, but didn't know why. _Come on Ib! Think! _I drew no conclusions. I grumbled. I looked at the wall once more and noticed a little picture. It was of a toy-box. Inside were what I assumed to be blue petals. _Blue petals? Why are they in a toy-box? And what is a picture of a toy-box doing here?! Maybe I'll find it along the way. _I stared at the wall until I had everything memorized before moving on.

* * *

I watched her stare at the crayon sketch on the wall. The fallen and withered petals providing a painful memory. I was laying on the ground, encouraging her to go on without me, that I be there for her no matter what. With each step that separated us, my chest throbbed. I knew my rose was being destroyed because in the distance, Mary's laughter rang out quietly. Letting Ib go on was my best option, she didn't need to see the result of all of my rose's petals withering away. I closed my eyes, my breath shaking. Each second felt like forever, I found myself counting silently, just so I was certain that time was passing normally. Finally, it hurt to much to speak, so I counted in my head. The was horrid, like being lit ablaze while soaked in gasoline. Yet, I was cold. And I got colder, and colder until… well until I turned out like this.

I worried about Ib. What if she succumb to the same fate, fated to live on forever within a small frame. Never to see her family, or friends, maybe her boyfriend again. These frames are a lonely place for a person. And I was sure as the night is dark that I wouldn't let that happen. If she was able to leave her painting then I could too! But… How? I was so caught up in my thoughts that I forget to think about how to turn them into reality. I'm always like that, daydreaming about my goals, yet never accomplishing them. _But this is different! I can do something! I just have to think! _And as she left the wall to explore further, that is what I did.

* * *

**A/N: Did you enjoy it? I hope so!**

**Once again, sorry for being late with posting this. School has had me rushing constantly and I've had no time to update.**

**I promise to post again soon. **

**Favorite and Review! All criticism is welcome!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey guys! It's finally here! Chapter 4!**

**I'm having so much fun writing this lately! I can't even really say how much! **

**Anyway, I have proofread this, but please feel free to point out any possible errors.**

**Enjoy!**

**BTW, I don't own Ib. If I did, this sequel would be an option.**

* * *

I walked around the large area, it was one room with hallways branching out like spider legs. I had learned that to get around those vines, I needed seven balls of paint. And I had all but one. _I've ran around this place god knows how many times. There has to be __one__place I haven't checked. And when I go in, the paint ball'll be waiting. _I was acting like a hamster, running in circles. Checking every door to find the room inside empty. There was only one room I hadn't- well couldn't check. I'd try but it would be locked from the inside. And the doorknob was cold, like ice. Just touching the brass caused shivers to shoot down my spine like subway cars. But there was an air about it, like I **needed **to see what was inside.

After the first minutes, it seemed force was not the right course of action. The large bruise on my shoulder will serve as a reminder of this. Next I tried picking the lock. I pulled a sliver bobby pin from my mahogany locks and place it in the key hole, turning and twisting it inside until I heard a snap. I got excited, thinking I unlocked it, until I found out my bobby pin had snapped in two. "Argh!" I screamed in frustration, kicking the door with all my strength, seething with anger from head to toe. I was glaring at the ground with such hatred that I did not see the door open with the force of the kick. I sighed, trying to maintain my composure, and stared at the door, eyes widening at the sight. "You have got to be kidding me!" I was more that annoyed but said no more, stomping my feet as I entered the room.

The first thing I noticed was that it was cold, freezing even, compared to the rest of the gallery. It was like an ice box. Then I actually looked around. Dolls. Hundreds of them sat staring at me from different positions in the room. The same ones… That that girl had. The room got even colder, maybe it was my blood freezing solid, after my discovery. _Okay Ib, remember! Just look for the paint and the hightail it out of here! _I searched for the paint ball, looking between each of these creepy little guys. I found it close to the center of the room. My eyes widened and glittered as I ran over, taking it into my hands gently, being careful not to break it. And as I picked it off the ground, I heard a locking sound from behind me, following by an eerie giggle.

My breath hitched and I turned slowly to the door. I approached it and tried to escape. Just as I thought, locked. I began to panic. _Oh god! Not good! Not good! _I hauled on the handle with all my strength, only letting go when my upper arms became too tired to pull anymore. "Silly Ib. Don't you know by now? You need a key." It was the girl. "One of our friends has it. You can have it if you ask nicely." My stomach turned at how casually as she spoke to me, referring to those dolls as our 'friends'. She expected my to ask them for the key. Forget that! I ran from doll to doll, checking them for keys. Some I treated with respect, checking them carefully, while others I nearly tore apart, checking frantically for any sign of sliver. The very last one I checked held the key. I ran to the door, unlocked it, and ran like the devil was on my heels until I was gasping for breath.

"I… need… to run more." Scolding myself for my poor stamina. Though training would have to come later. I had all the paint balls. I could go back to the other side. Maybe the toy-box would be nearby. I hope that was the case. I looked around. I was close to the colourless room, I could go check to see if it was coloured now. "Tsk tsk tsk." The voice echoed through the hall, causing me to freeze, trying to combat my radically beating heart. I looked ahead and saw the girl again, her arms folded and legs crossed. "You never were patient, were you Ib? Stubborn too." Her voice sounded like a child imitating her parents. "First, you try breaking the door. Then you hurt my friends. And then you don't apologize! That's mean." I stayed silent. "If you want us to stay friends, you should be nicer. And tell Garry to stop messing with stuff, he's ruining the fun!" _Garry? Why did that name seem so familiar? It's like it's on the tip of my tongue. _"Anyway," her voice pulled me out of my thoughts, "don't forget our playdate later, okay? Bye!" I looked with confusion as she ran away. _Playdate? Does that have something to do with that toy-box she drew on the walls? _I guessed so. I walked to the colourless room, guessing that that was the best route to take.

* * *

Playdate. I watched Mary tell Ib about it, wishing I could warn her of the dangers surrounding it. That she could lose her life. That she still has that palette knife with her! But that was hopeless. I had been of some use though. I was able to open the door for Ib and made the paint easier to find. Mary was not a naive child but she made things simple, cutting corners often if she could. Though, I was not used to doing things outside of my frame like Mary, let alone get up and walk around. I sighed. Mary was probably a painting for hundreds of years, it's obvious that she'd have more experience than me. It still annoyed me though.

I tried leaving my frame once. When I first brought here, maybe a few hours after. I remember getting angry, probably using that as a substitute for fear. And in my raging brilliance, I decided I'd ram at the frame's glass, thinking I could break it. I ended up bruising my right arm and my cheek, not to mention that I fell into one of the many rose bushes that were around me, cutting much of my skin that wasn't covered. I learned to things that day. One, doing things when angry usually lead to awful consequences, and two, rose bushes hurt. From then on, I accepted my situation without complaints, but thinking still about how I could leave.

But I had bigger plans now. It wasn't just about what I wanted. It was also about what Ib needed! Mary had things much more difficult this time around. The statues and paintings were stronger, the layout of the gallery had changed and everything was much more vicious than last time. She wouldn't be able to make it alone. So even though it would make me weak, sometimes to the point that I would be dizzy, I would help her. Mary was not going to win. Not if I had a say in it all.

* * *

**A/N: So how was it? I hope I didn't make Garry too corny. I wanted his protective brotherly side to shine out more. **

**I'm in the process of writing Chapter 5 now, so it should be up later this week. **

**Until then, favorite, follow and review.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I'm finally back! It's been forever since I've updated this it seems. I'm really happy I have now. **

**It's seems a bit wordy to me, but I hope you'll enjoy it. **

**Feel free to point out any spelling or grammar errors and I'll be sure to fix them. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ib or it****s characters. I only own this fanfic. **

* * *

As I walked into the once gray room, I was greeted by a rainbow bridge, extending to the other end of a large hole in the ground. I walked towards it, and stared at the colours blending beside each other to create the image. _Is this stable? It looks so unstable. _That it did. I watched as the colours swirled, like puddles of spilt paint. If I wasn't staring at it right at that moment, I would have never thought they would be floating as they were. _I'll fall right through it. Or will I? _I was worried, thinking of the possibilities that could occur.

But what other option did I have? I had to get to that toy-box. That girl, although very creepy, was the only thing here that seemed like it was helping me. And this was the only way I knew of that could get me on a new path. I held my breath and shut my eyes tightly until no light passed through the same crease between my eyelids. _Here goes nothing._ Balling my hands into tight fists, I stepped onto the bridge with shaking legs. I braced for my weight to fall through the liquid platform, my mind replaying a false threat through my head. But, it never happened. I opened my eyes, poking the tip of my shoe into the paint. About half an inch below the surface, an invisible barrier stopped me. _Thank God that's there. _Calmed slightly, I walked to the other side, not running yet not walking either.

What waited for me was an environment similar to all the others previous, except for a different layout and different paintings. I don't know what I expected (when it came to this place, God knows what.) but I started to question my logic. Shaking my head, I continued on anyway. I looked around, the place seemed to be normal (that is, normal by the gallery's standards I mean). To my surprise, there were no puzzles. _That's strange. Maybe the gallery's going easy on me for once. _I laughed, finding the idea farfetched, thinking of the ladies in red and the headless statues.

As I said, nothing was really abnormal, well… there was something. Every once in a while, during my exploration of the area, I'd find a mannequin head. Knowing what the statues were like, I kept my distance from the decapitated porcelain. I'd check behind me as I passed them, noting how they wouldn't follow. After about ten minutes of repeating this pattern, I dismissed my behavior as paranoia. I was less cautious around the heads, but still felt uncomfortable in their presence. Just as when that little girl was around, I could feel eyes staring at me as I walked. Dull lifeless orbs, tracking my movements and reading my body language. In my mind, I would have to repeat like a mantra _they are not real, they are not real._

I spent what I would guess to be about two hours in that place. Double checking, even triple checking each room, expecting something new each time. But, there was nothing. Out of ideas, I went to the only room with something I thought could be of interest. As I entered, I stared at the bottom right corner of the room, coming face to… torso with a female statuette. I had entered this room a few times previously, and was worried about this statue. But it stayed in it place, never moving, it skirt only fluttering slightly as the door swung open. Not expecting much because of this, I walked forward towards the corner of the room. Examining the statuette, I could see that it covered a descending staircase. Pushing the statuette of my way, I walked down the staircase. What awaited me was something I could not imagine.

Stepping through the doorway, I was greeted by dark walls seeming to going far off into the distance, decorated with spots of pure white. As well, the ground was a bright pink, like the medicine my mother would make me take as I child if I was sick, the bubblegum flavoured stuff. I walked downward, not really interested by the surroundings. About halfway down, I was trying to peek down the stairs, to see how much longer they went on for. When I stopped to do so, a white blur, almost like a comet, flew in front of me quickly, narrowly avoiding my face. I gasped and began walking quicker to avoid the oncoming 'stars'.

Reaching the bottom, I was greeted by a floor the same shade as the stairs, it's texture that of crayon. When I stepped onto it's surface, crayon doodles appeared on the walls and the haunting melody of a music box began to play. _Is this the toy-box? _I looked around the hall. _It must be. _I ran down the halls, wondering if the exit was near. Going further down the hall, I saw a sign on the wall written in blue crayon. It read: Sketchbook and an arrow pointing forward. Without much thought, I walked onward.

Inside the sketchbook, I found a small white house in between two branching paths. Curious as to what I would find, I walked inside the small building. Inside, I found a crude painting, a small table set, a grandfather clock, and a bookcase. Just like my watch, time didn't pass for the grandfather clock. As for the bookcase, it only contained storybooks. Bored with my findings, I left and walked down the path heading east. Walking down the path, I found my self in a forest with two more paths, one heading north and one heading west. I headed down the path to my left. Doing so, I found a grotesque sight. A corpse, that of a male. He had purple hair, a blue, tattered coat, and a green t-shirt… I paled, heading down another path quickly. I walked around the area for a while, finding a few buildings with locked doors that served no use to me. I kept away from a large white building, the small blue dolls providing to much discomfort to enter. But I found that was the only other place I could enter, so I did.

Inside, I found a small box that looked like it didn't belong. There was a label written in crayon above it. It read: Pandora's Box. I had heard about Pandora's Box from my father and from what he told be, it was not a force to be reckoned with. But, what was the worst that could happen? I knew not much could top the dangers that had surrounded me so far. So I opened it, watching unknown symbols fly out and off into the air. I left afterwards, going to see what I had done. Looking around, I found that the front door on a once locked house now opened. I stepped inside and looked around. Not much was there, except for a small blue box. Walking forward, I could see that it had a crude label on it: Toy Box. I was shocked. That was the toy-box? I looked inside, only finding a void of darkness. _I should have known. _I sighed, turning around and looking at the door sadly.

Suddenly, I felt a hand grab my wrist, gripping it tightly. "Hurry Ib! You don't want to be late!" It was the girl's voice but unlike before, it was more sinister, as if there was something bad coming my way. Unable to get away from the grip of the hand, I was pulled quickly into the toy-box, my mind racing about what will happen.

* * *

I watched the scene taking place before me, screaming for Ib to run. I'm not sure if you could tell yet, but I worry a lot. I knew that, without a near miracle, this would not end well. Ib couldn't remember it, but I knew Mary's game. She would befriend you, acting sweet and innocent, like a lost child. But when she knew you were fooled, she would show her true, warped colours. Part of me felt sorry for her, know that she was still a child and how this environment could change you. But the other part of me loathed her, thinking of her like the plague. Knowing that she was the one who put me here.

I knew that the minute Ib would enter here with her, Mary would carry out her plan. Probably doing the same as she had done to me. Or perhaps something else more gruesome, something I'd prefer not to think about at that moment. I banged on the glass in front of me, hoping she would see me just as I saw her. But it was no use, just as I was warning her, Mary's hand shot out from the box, grabbing her quickly. I watched Ib freeze and try to get away before being hauled into the box.

I had only one hope now. That Ib would not run into her. That she would find my painting before Mary found her. But I knew that with Mary so close, I wouldn't be able to provide any clues. Instead, I would have to wait, calling out to her and trying to make my being known. I stared at the box, hoping that I'd have a chance to do so.

* * *

**A/N: So how was it? I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I did writting. **

**I'm working on Chapter 6 now so it should be up soon. **

**Just as a note: In the original game, when in the sketchbook, corpses resembling Ib are hung. I chose to use Garry instead just for a plot device. **

**Once again, feel free to point out any errors and review with any other opinions.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Yes! I'm not dead! **

**I'm soo happy to update this again. It was sitting on my computer for a week but I wasn't able to upload it due to being busy. **

**I'm also happy about my new pen name *feels like such a fangirl about it*. I had been meaning to changing for quite some time and finally did so today. **

**Another note, this is a rather short chapter. It's really just the required filler to lead into Chapter 7. **

**Anyway, I'll shut up now and let you enjoy the chapter. **

**Feel free to point out any errors.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ib nor it's characters.**

* * *

My heart was in my throat as I was pulled into the darkness, screaming until my vocal chords grew weak and raw. _What's happening? I thought I could trust that girl! _I tried to think, but the speed at which I was falling made my head spin. As I fell, I could see flashes of colour below me, growing closer as I descended. And just as they turned to intelligible images, all went dark and still.

I awoke to find a void of darkness once more. I pulled myself off the cold ground and stood up, groaning with pain. I must have passed out when I hit the ground. I looked around the room, trying to put a name to this place. It was a large room with black walls and floors. A small model train ran along a wooden track, carefully dodging small blue dolls. The same dolls from that dreaded room. Out of a habit of mine, I checked my pockets, sighing in relief at what I found. A baby pink handkerchief, a small lemon candy, and one red rose in bloom. Dusting off my skirt, I walked around. There was not much in here. Everyone once in a while there would be a weird doodle on the floor and there was this weird shadow on the right side of the room, but besides that, nothing.

Walking down the hall outside, I could see small blue rose petals, withered with what I could only assume to be age. They made a small trail through the hall, each one torn more violently then the last. In the middle of the hall, the was an odd shadow, resting against the wall like a body. The atmosphere in this hall was sad, as if someone was in mourning. I quickened my pace as I followed the trail, knowing that staying long in a place like that could have a toll on your mind. And that was something I didn't need at this point.

After a few minutes of walking, the petal trail ended abruptly. Blue petals were scattered in a ring around an empty space, surrounding a withered stem. I bent down and examined it. It seemed to shimmer, albeit not very brightly, just as the stem and petals on my rose did. The deep sapphire colour was familiar to me and as I wondered why, I heard a voice of a man. _"Go on ahead. I'll come running if you need me." _The plea was chilling, like the words were being whispered in my ear. I shaked the voice from my mind, I could think about it later. I placed the stem and three small petals in my pocket, a reminder to keep my own rose safe.

As I pushed my self up, I heard a giggle ring out through the halls. _Great. I have to deal with her. She better have answers for me this time! _Standing, I looked down the hall and came face-to-face with her. "Hello Ib. Did you miss me?" She held one of those blue things in her arms, hugging it like a teddy bear. _Why would I miss __**you**__? I don't even know you. _She stared at me for a few moments, before frowning. "You don't remember me, do you?" She smiles at me. "Well I'm Mary! We were best friends when you were younger." _I doubt that. _"Oh." I reply with my best fake smile, "So that's why you were helping me." _If she's this gullible, she can tell me what's going on and how to leave this creepy place! _

Her smile grows wider. "Yeah! Exactly!" She takes my hand in her free one. "Now come on, this place is creepy." She then proceeds to drag me down the halls. _God this girl is gullible… _After a few minutes she stopped, turning to look at me. "Say.. Ib?" I look down at her. "Yes Mary?" She then suddenly became interested in her shoes, twisting one toe into the floor.

"I'm your friend… right?"

"Yes Mary."

She looks up at me again. "Well.. Friends… stick together… But I can't leave this place…" Then it clicked in my mind. She wanted to keep me here. Before I could react, she pulled me down to her level, revealing a small palette knife from inside the doll's torso. The small grin on her face turns twisted.

"So if you stay still, we'll be together… forever…"

* * *

**A/N: Did you enjoy it? Sorry about it being so short (n). I'll do my very best to make the next chapter double the length!**

**It can be excpected soon as I'm typing it up now. **

**Until then, favorite, follow, and review if you wish to do so. **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hello! If you are reading this, the world did not end! But seriously, all joking aside, I have finally returned with Chapter 7!**

**And this time, I have titles for POV transitions, as to make them easier to understand. **

**Drama is begining as well as the good ol' fashion flashback! **

**Anyway, before my big mouth spoils anything for you all, I'll let you read it for yourself.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ib, nor its characters.**

* * *

**Garry's POV**

I know it was impossible for me, but I questioned my consciousness as I stared at the scene taking place before me. Mary… had a knife and Ib was just standing there. My body when into pilot mode, slamming my fists against the glass. Trying to make my presence known, trying to help her get away. I screamed, hearing my voice echo in the room that seemed to go on forever. I knew this place wasn't safe for her, I've known that for years. Ever since I first met that child, my one goal was to get her **out**. Yet here I was, unable to do a damn thing as she stared into the face of her possible killer, who was no more than a child. Not a single thing. I bowed my head, letting my self slide down the glass. I did not want to see what was to happen. Because if I was to, I'd never be able to forgive myself.

**Ib's POV**

I paled, trying to figure out what was happening. My mind was racing faster than my own thoughts were able to be processed. Only three words could get through to me: Mary, knife, and run. As I said before, when you are scared, you seem to get an adrenaline boost. And that I did. I pushed Mary into the wall behind us, knocking her out as her head hit the corner of a frame. And then I ran, as fast as I have ever done so. After a while, I found a place that could be considered safe in a way. I sat down, trying to breathe normally, as my breathing at that point was coming out in short gasps.

Once I started breathing normally again, I thought about what that psychotic girl had said before she tried to murder me. **"We were best friends when you were younger."**I knew I was rather foolish as I child, but to be friends with her, it seemed really out of character for me. I hugged my knees tightly to my chest, trying to remember those precious memories. Closing my eyes, I left my mind wander.

_**I was in a small room with two exits, two figures standing in front of me, screaming. The shorter one pulls out a small blade, attacking the other, who was much taller. The later of the two pushes the short one into the wall, knocking them unconscious. A yellow rose falls to the ground, its petals splatting on the ground like paint. The taller then turns to me, crouching down to my level. My thoughts focus in on this person. He has purple hair covering the right side of his face, darker strands extending from the crown of his head. He wore a tattered blue coat with an olive green shirt underneath. He spoke softly to me, as if to comfort a scared child, "She was one of the paintings. It may not seem right, but we'll need to leave her behind…" **_

'The Forgotten Portrait'! I was still unsure how I knew him. He was a painting for God's sake! I needed to get my memories intact, I need to understand. I took a deep breath, starting to fear my possible memories. I knew this place was horrible, not to mention how my young mind would warp the truth. I laid my head back on the wall. Taking a shaking breath, I took a trip down memory lane once more.

_**The Forgotten Portrait and I were walking through the halls; every once-in-a-while he would smile at me, ensuring me things would be okay or striking up a conversation with me. I heard myself ask about his hair, he laughed and asked if I liked it. I smiled and nodded, I always had loved purple. He took my small hand into his, guiding me through the halls. The space felt safe, I had someone watching over me. My mind sped up the time, so the long period of time me and him were walking only seemed to last a few minutes. We were rounding a corner, he was asking about a milk puzzle we had passed a while back, when we ran into to something. The figure fell to the floor, whining when they did. I recognized the voice almost instantly. It was Mary's. She looked shocked but then smiled at 'The Forgotten Portrait' and I. "Oh! You two have roses! Are you from the gallery?" She looked innocent, a big change from the event that happened earlier. 'The Forgotten Portrait' answered, "Yes we are." Her eyes widened. "Thank goodness! I thought I would never find other people! My name's Mary!" 'The Forgotten Portrait' smiled "This is Ib," gesturing to me "and my name's-" **_

Just as I was about to hear his name, the memory ended. _Argh! Why must this be so hard? _I was seething with anger. I needed to know more about him and Mary. _Just keep thinking Ib. She's going to out for a while, you have time. _Looking around cautiously, I followed the instructions of my conscious. Closing my eyes, I plunged myself into my subconscious, searching for the precious memories.

_**I was walking with Mary towards a door. She was trying to convince my younger self that we would get out. I wasn't sure what she meant by 'we', but I heard myself say ok. We entered the room and were greeted by several boxes and statues. Mary and I began to check them, well her and my younger self as I had no control of my actions. While checking the third box, I heard her whisper to herself "I keep this with me. For… protection…" I looked up just to see her hiding what she had found in her skirt pocket. "What did you find Mary?" I heard myself ask, just as I had just wanted to. Her eyes widened slightly "Nothing, nothing Ib. Just talking to myself!" I didn't believe her but my younger self just nodded. "Let's go Ib, we can find an exit surely if we keep on going." She takes my hand and leaves through the door to our right. Those boxes all had art supplies in them. Could what she picked up be that palette knife? I could only guess at that point. **_

I opened my eyes once more, sighing quietly. All of these memories were important, but I needed to know more. Like whom 'The Forgotten Portrait' is or was, and how to get out of here. I looked around the corner or the small hallway I was in, keeping my eyes open for Mary. I knew she would wake up eventually, but I didn't know how long until she did, or if she already had or not. I pulled myself up from off the floor, thinking about the memories. In each one 'The Forgotten Portrait' was in, he was always nice to me. And he looked cute too. Well, he **was **cute. But that's a bit creepy, and I'm sure illegal in some places.

But he was a painting. Maybe I would be able to find him in this place. If Mary could roam around here, I'm sure he could too. I'm sure I would run into him eventually. Surely he would have the answers to my questions. I wondered if he would be as kind as he was in my memory. Perhaps he would be crazy like the rest of them. I ignored the idea. Looking around once more, I began to wander through the identical halls.

**Garry's POV**

She was safe. Thank God she was safe! After Mary had attacked her, I was certain she would be killed. But there she was, wandering through the halls of the toybox. She was able to knock Mary out cold and get away, along with buying herself time to get away in the process. For a while she sat in one hall, resting. She looked as if she was thinking hard. Perhaps about our past in the gallery? I could only guess. While she was looking around, I saw her saying her thoughts aloud. She was talking about something called 'The Forgotten Portrait'.

'The Forgotten Portrait'? wasn't that what my painting was called? Yeah, it was! Did that mean she was looking for me? Did she remember me? No… Not entirely… If she did, she would have called me by my real name, instead of my one in this prison. But still, she was looking for me! And she had part of my rose. Maybe she could get me out of here. I was like a child at Christmas, waiting for Saint Nicholas to arrive. I did my best to look presentable, brushing stray hairs out of my face and brushing wrinkles out of my clothes. And then, I took a seat on the ground and waited.

* * *

**A/N: Yay! They'll meet again soon! **

**Yes they shall! **

**So anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

** On another note, I was looking through this story's stats today and you all have surprised me! To think that this story has fans all around the world. From the United States to Spain and from UK to Brazil, I'm thankful for each of you! This story would be nothing without you. **

**As well, I will be posting an Ib one-shot for the holiday season. And for the holidays I shall try my very best to post Chapter 8 for Christmas or the new year. **

**Now that I have said all I've had to say, I shall say farewell to you all. Feel free to favorite, follow, and review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hello and Happy New Year! Yes, as 2013 says 'Hello' to us all I am posting this new chapter. Right on my deadline!**

**I believe the story might be coming to an end soon, and I am thinking about a possible epilogue. What do you think?**

**Anyway, I feel Garry might be a bit OOC here but feel it fits with the reasoning that being alone for so long would leave to thoughts like the ones he is thinking here. **

**Okay then.. Feel free to point out any errors that I may have skipped in my editing. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ib, nor its characters. **

* * *

**Garry's POV**

Being isolated like I was as I waited for Ib, I used my time to think. I would ask myself about my life outside of this place. Like what my family thought about my sudden disappearance. It must had been years since I came here. I longed to leave, to go back to my old life. To know for sure that everything was okay for once. To be somebody again instead of just a worthless being!

I sighed, pulling my knees up to my chest, using them as a small resting place for my head. I needed to pull myself out of this depression, an emotion I refused to let myself give in to. This me was not a person I wanted to be. I asked myself, what kind of reunion would it be if Ib found me wallowing here in my own self pity? It would be a bad one, obviously. Speaking of Ib, I wondered about her. I wondered about how she felt here. From what I could gather, she had no recollection of this place… or its residents. **Argh! **I had to stop thinking like this. All these years I had pushed these thoughts away! Why were they coming back now? And why was I thinking about them so much? And then it dawned on me. It was because I had a chance of leaving this hell. I couldn't hide from the truth. I had to face it and was unable to run away. I had a life outside of here. I was somebody. And I couldn't change that. So instead, I would be prepared with the best mindset I could have and with my most logical thinking. Smiling, I stared out the glass of my frame, waiting for faith to arrive.

**Ib's POV**

I knew that finding 'The Forgotten Portrait' wouldn't be easy, but this was absolutely ridiculous. I must had been walking for hours at that point, with no results in sight. I'd ask any paintings I came across, but all of them would attack and/or ignore me. I would also have to constantly stay alert, knowing well that Mary had probably woken up. And she would be mad. I would walk like I was going over hot coals, making sure I would be able to hear a pin drop at any moment. I hoped she wasn't like those monsters in films that could teleport or something. That would be very unlucky for me.

I thought about 'The Forgotten Portrait' a lot while I was looking for his frame. For such a nice being when compared to the others here, I did not remember much about my time with him. Maybe the answers I was looking for were with the others, under this world's lock and key. Though, they were slowing coming back to me in small flashes at a time. I guessed that it would only be a matter of time until I had the information that I needed.

After my third time of wandering around the main halls of the toy box, I hid in an isolated nook for a break. I kept my breath quiet for I had heard Mary following at one point. She would giggle to herself every once in a while, the sound of her knife scraping across the walls resonating through the halls. A warning alarm to me. Mary, I wondered what she wanted me to stay with her for. As I asked myself that question, memory made itself known.

_**Mary and I were walking down a lit hallway surrounded by black walls. Both of us were silent, but Mary would smile at me every now and then. I wondered where Garry was, but couldn't ask. As we reached the middle of the hall, Mary turned to me with an expression I was unable to figure out. "Ib? I was wondering, what is your mom like?" I was confused by the question. Wasn't Mary unable to leave? Why would she ask a question like that? My younger voice pulled me from the looming questions. "She's nice, but not when she's mad." I stifled a laugh, covering my mouth to capture rouge giggles. She smiled. "Oh…" She stared at her shoes before looking up at me again. "Well Ib… If only two of us could leave, who would you choose to go with you?" Only two? Was she including 'The Forgotten Portrait'? Obviously I would choose him over this basket case, but my younger self had a different opinion. "I would sacrifice myself…" My voice was quiet. Mary frowns softly but quickly smiled again. "I see… Well don't worry, because we'll all make it out okay!" I could tell that her smile was contagious, as I could feel the corners of my lips rise. I nodded before we continued through the gallery, exiting the other end of the hall. **_

As the memory ended, I peeked around the corner to my right, checking for any signs of green and yellow. At times like that, I really wished for my watch to work. At least then I would know how long I had been daydreaming. I sighed quietly as I stood up, trying to be as quiet as possible. I had been here too long. I would need to start looking for the painting again. Keeping my footsteps light, I left the nook and made my rounds once more around the toy box.

As I made it halfway around the perimeter of the toy box, I came across a vase filled with shimmering water. My eyes widened at the sight of it. After all the time I spent walking around, I had never found this. I reached into my pocket and took out the two roses in my possession. My own was still rather healthy, shinning in near full bloom, just as it had when I first found it. The blue one, however, seemed to be doing far worse. It had lost all its petals, only having a small blue bud. Several petals that had fallen from its stem were nestled in my pocket. Taken pity on the flower, I placed it in the vase. As if by magic, the small bud grew and opened quickly to reveal deep sapphire petals in full bloom. I marvelled at the sight for a few moments before reluctantly removing the rose from the vase, gently placing it into my skirt pocket. Quickly, I healed my own rose and left the vase, knowing that Mary would look for me there.

I walked around the toy box in my usual path for about a half hour more, looking for any signs of a new path I could take. I knew that before long, Mary would have my path memorised and would find me in no time. Looking around the main room, I found a path marked by blue crayon. I found it surprising that I hadn't found it earlier and took my chances in following it. It lead me into a wide hallway, pitch black just as the others had been with lights lining the walls. I had to squint in order to spot the dark blue crayon on the floors but continued on anyway. Unlike the other halls, this one had a lighter atmosphere. If I wasn't so concerned about my presence being know, I would have stopped in the middle of the hall just to enjoy the change. But instead, I walked faster to get to the end quicker. As I got close to end of the crayon trail, I heard a loud noise followed by a voice calling out. **"Hey!"**

* * *

**A/N: Now the question is: Who does the voice belong to? Any ideas?**

**Anyway, I'm typing up the next Chapter 9 as I'm writting this. I won't make any promises but it might be up soon. **

**Feel free to favorite, follow, and review. All is loved!**

**Until then, goodbye.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hi everyone! Sorry for such a large break between chapters, I promise such things shall never happen again. This break was mainly caused by school work and personal issues, as well as my own procrastination. **

**Anyway, I tried top make this chapter one of my longer ones, just to make up for my absense. Dispite this, I feel the content of this chapter is lacking as it is mainly filler to help make the following chapter make sense. Sorry in advance for this. **

**That's really all I have to say except that I hope you'll enjoy, and that you please point out any errors this chapter may have. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ib, nor its characters.**

* * *

**Ib's POV**

My blood ran cold as the voice rang through my ears. I clutched my red rose that I had kept in my hands, trying to think of possible escape routes. I heard another loud noise, like someone banging their fists against metal following by another scream in my direction. I cursed in my mind. The only way out was in that direction. I took a deep breath and turned to face the maker of the sounds. "Hey! Over here!" I heard the voice about to scream, but it stopped halfway when I met its owner. It was 'The Forgotten Portrait'. He looked as if he had gotten the shock of his life, though I could only see half of his expression due to his bangs. His face quickly changed into a smile and he called out again. "Ib!" I felt happy I found him and rushed over.

I stood in front of his frame, looking up to see him. This reunion was unlike what I thought it would be. Neither one of us spoke for quite some time. Breaking the silence, Garry sighed and looked down at me. "I guess you don't remember me, do you?" I nodded, looking down at my feet. I felt bad for him. He didn't speak again for a few minutes and I looked up to make sure something never happened. He smiled again, "Well I guess I should introduce myself then. It'd be rather rude not to. I'm Garry." Garry. That name was familiar to me. Mary had mentioned it earlier. Told me to stop him from interfering with her work. Well, her work wasn't very beneficial. Did that Garry was helping me? Wait, I told myself, if he wanted to help me, why didn't he just leave his frame and help me. Mary could. I marked it in my mental agenda to make that a secondary priority.

I never noticed that I was staring at him, but a clearly uncomfortable chuckle escaped his lips. I felt my cheeks grow hot but he only smiled. "Ib? Do you think you could find something to break this?" He tapped his finger on the glass barrier, a small echo making its way through the hall quietly. Was that why he couldn't leave? For someone that did so much, he was really a wimp. I thought about what I knew that could be heavy to break it, for it looked pretty stable. There wasn't much around that wasn't too fragile or lethal. Absorbing myself in my thoughts, I found my mind latch onto an image. That of a book sitting on a table, surrounded by the same black walls that had been canvases for crayons in here. It was a big book, so more than likely it would be heavy. I smiled and told him about the memory. "Maybe it's nearby," I told him, "I'll go get it and be right back, okay?" He nodded and we parted ways.

Shortly after leaving Garry, I began to regret my decision. I didn't think much about how difficult finding this place would be, seeing as how every hall looked nearly identical. As well, my memories didn't give much detail on what the sketches on the wall looked like. They were just mishmashes of colour randomly sprawled across the walls. I sighed sadly to myself. This would not be easy. Why didn't I just kick the glass? I imagined the shards piercing into mine and Garry's skin, shuddering at the pain that would follow. Not to mention the indecency of the scenario. And besides, I wouldn't be strong enough to do that. Sighing, I started to see the hypocrisy of calling Garry a wimp.

I rounded another corner that matched the many I had already passed in the approximant ten minutes since I had started looking. This was starting to get repetitive, and I was reminded of when I was looking for Garry's frame. On the topic of him, I wondered if learning his name would help jog my memory again. I would remember flashes of a few seconds now and then, but they would just be of me alone. They were from my point of view, but I could tell I was a little girl. With no Garry and no Mary for company. Out of curiosity, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the blue rose. It was a deep sapphire, shinning in the dim light of the hall. Was this Garry's? It looked nearly identical to the ones growing inside his painting. Not to mention the memory I had earlier, Mary pointed out our roses. If it was his, I would be sure to give it back when I helped him out of his frame.

He seemed sad when I told him I didn't know who he was. But unlike what I suspected, he wasn't surprised. Did he already know? I don't know how he would. I guess that was another question I would have to ask him. It was rather annoying. Having so many questions but not receiving answers for any of them. I just wanted to toss everything into the air and forget about it but, sadly, that wasn't an option at this point. I wasn't about to spend the rest of my life wandering around here like an idiot. I needed to focus now. The key to getting out was to have as many advantages as I could have in the situation. And that meant having Garry with me.

I tried to stick to the shadowy parts of the halls, hoping my blouse would blend into the greys and blacks of the darkness. I could hear her roaming around, humming a tune that matched that of the music box that echoed throughout the toy box. Not to mention the low scraping sound as the palette knife was pressed against the hall. The small lines were white, exposing the drywall beneath layers of paint and crayon. In places, it was smeared along the wall. Almost as if she drew in it with her fingers. I used the lines as a marker. If they were deep she had probably been around here quite often, meaning that she must had moved on. I could barely hear her humming in these places. Shallow lines were in areas where she might be close by, her humming much louder and distinct. These were areas I passed quickly.

I did this for another hour or so. Check the line, examine the area, and move on. The process was tedious, but necessary. And after awhile, the line stopped altogether. Curious and thinking that was a good sign, I continued on to see what was waiting. After a while, I came across an entry into a hallway. I was covered in scribbles like the rest of them, but had an object standing in the middle that I couldn't pick out. It was only a few feet tall, making me a bit confused as to what it could possibly be. Wanting to see just what it was, I checked to make sure Mary's humming was far away before stepping inside.

Making my way inside, I noticed just how long the hallway was. As I walked in, careful to make my steps short and soft, the doorway I entered through seemed to shrink. Amused, I almost chucked, reminded of a scene from "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", a favourite film of mine. But I had more important things on my mind. Ignoring the strange happenings around me, I made my way over to the object as the door became nearly non-existent. As I got closer, the blurred colour sharpened into a shape, that of a small table. Making my way to it, I found what I needed. A large hardcover book resting on the mahogany surface. I quickly thanked whoever had placed it there before heading out with it, happy to go back to Garry.

After spending so much time looking for that hallway, I pretty much knew my way back to Garry's frame like the back of my hand. While heading there, I became curious about the book. I looked over it, noticing that the leather that bound it together had beautiful designs etched into it. It looked very important, like a person's prized possession. Knowing this, I felt guilty for taking it from its resting place. The more I looked at the book, I felt tempted to peek inside. I was a girl who knew of proper morals, so I understood that doing this was wrong. But at the same time, I knew that it could be filled with important information I wouldn't get otherwise. Sighing, I apologized in advance to the owner before opening it.

To my surprise, the interior of the book was extremely different that the exterior lead me to believe. The writing inside was written in black crayon and varied in size as it made its way across the page. As well, it was rather sloppy and I struggled to pick out each word. But as I did, I grew more weary, questioning myself less as I read each line as to who these words belonged to. This is an excerpt of was written, as I remember it. _**Ib. She's quite foolish. She's like an animal in a maze, darting around without thinking. I almost had her earlier**_,_** but she ran away. She's selfish, punishing me for wanting just one friend so long ago. I've had enough of her rudeness. When I find her, she'll be sorry she did such things to me. **_

I shut the book with a quivering hand, my eyes darting around, looking for her. It was made clear from how it was written that this was Mary's writing. As well, the font matched that of her messages on the walls. I could hardly read it after that small portion, as I would instead look over my should instinctively as I walked down the dark halls. I was already a large target for her, but if she found me carrying around her diary of sorts, I would be killed much more violently than she had first intended.

As Garry's frame came into view, I sped up my pace rapidly. In that hall, Mary's footsteps and echoing voice were never heard. As I stood before him, he looked relieved. "Thank god you're back. I was starting to get worried that you had run into Mary." I blushed at this, hoping he wouldn't notice. I apologized, glad to see he didn't mind. I then lifted the book up over my head. "Okay. Step back Garry." He did as I asked him. I counted down from three in my head then before tossing the book at the glass. I then covered my body, not watching as glass shards shot out from the once solid barrier, freeing Garry.

* * *

**A/N: How was it? I hope you enjoyed this chapter. **

**As well, thank you if you stayed along waiting for this after waiting this long. It means a lot to me.**

**Finally, I ask that if you enjoyed that you please review, favorite and follow. **

**Until then next chapter, bye.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hello everyone! After a long absence, I am back!**

**I originally intended for this to be posted on Valentine's Day, but due to many set backs, that never happened. **

**I just finished writing this around ten minutes before writting this, which I do just before I post, so there may be a few mistakes. **

**I would appriciate if these could be pointed out. Any critiques are welcome. **

**Anyway, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ib, nor its characters.**

* * *

**Ib's POV**

I felt small shards stick into my arms as they fell to the floor, the pain from them only slight, probably due to the thick material of my winter blouse. It seemed to take several minutes of waiting, but when it seemed as if the shower of glass had ended, I looked up from the ground and assessed the situation. Garry was trying his best to walk around the glass and away from his frame. Looking back on it, his concentrating face was rather funny. As he made his way around the last few pieces, I called out to him. "Garry. Are you okay?" He walked over, giving a reassuring smile. "Yeah, I'm fine." He ran a hand through his hair, shortly lifting his bangs away from his usual concealed eye. As he brought his hair back over his eye again, I could see red smearing across his face, blood.

He probably noticed this as well as he looked at his hand for a few seconds, looking like a confused child. I held back a chuckle, knowing he was once **my **guardian. I walked over to him, taking my handkerchief out of my pocket, and wiped the blood from his forehead. I'm still not sure but I think he turned red at this, though it might be my imagination or staining from the blood. After making sure there were no specs of red left, I wrapped his hand in the stained cloth. "There you go, all fixed." I said with a smile. He smiled back, "Thank you Ib." During this moment, many things came to my mind, mainly how he managed to care for me in here when he barely pays attention to his own injuries. Even so, I never voiced these questions, instead enjoying the short time. It was only when one thought came that I became focused again. "Oh, I almost forgot! You should take this. I'm guessing this is yours." I took the blooming rose from my pocket, presenting it to him. He accepted it, thanking me once more. "No problem." I told him.

To honest, we stood around for a few minutes after this, waiting to see which one of us would break the silence first. I'm sure if she was there at that time, Mary could have cut the tension with that palette knife of hers. It was very awkward, to say the least and I was about to start a conversation before Garry spoke. "So… Do you have any plans of how to escape?" Escaping? I had honestly forgotten about it. Instead, I spent my whole time trying to find Garry and get away from Mary. "Uh… I really haven't thought of it in a while…" He seemed surprised by this, so I tried to better explain myself. "I-I sorta spent most of my time looking for you…" A blush spread across his face and burned on the tops of his ears. I'm sure I was blushing myself so quickly, I tried to explain myself better. "It would be better to work together to get out of here, right?" He looked down at me, the blush covering his face was draining from his skin, but he looked like he was trying to hide it with his hand. "Yeah. You're right."

"Say, Garry?" I got ready to ask him the question dwindling on my mind at that time. "Yes Ib?" Planning my words out in my mind, I voiced them. "I've left this place before. Do you know how I did?" He sighed, "I'm sorry but I don't." I looked down at my feet. "Oh." "But," I gave him my attention quickly, "You may be able to remember yourself what happened. To know even in the slightest who Mary and I are, and to know about your time here, you must be able to remember how you left here. It's like when you lose something, if you forget that you know where it is, it turns up, right?" I nodded, shocked that I hadn't come up with that reasoning myself. "For now, we'll just have to wait." I nodded once more. "Yeah." "With that said, I think our first order of business is to find Mary." And with that, we started our looking.

Walking out of the glass coated hallway and exploring the area, the first thing Garry spotted was the lines carved in drywall, his face contorted into a look of confusion. "What the-" He stopped himself, turning to face me. "Do you hear that?" He reduced his voice to that of a whisper. "Hear wha-" As I spoke, what Garry pointed out to me reached my ears. That quiet humming filled the area that was once free from noise. She was close, but to far away. "This way." He mouths to me, pointing to the path to the right of us, opposite of where it seemed she was. "We can get her from behind.." I nod and the two of us walk on, hiding in a space behind the corner. We stand huddled together, trying to be as unnoticeable as physically possible. Garry peeks now and then around the corner, looking for any signs of Mary. He was obviously trying to be brave, like he was trying to comfort me. However, this façade of his was easy to see through, as his body shook slightly with the scrapping of Mary's knife, more than likely getting sharper with each sheet of drywall it tore through. With each breath taken, the sound of dress shoes tapping the floor got closer, along with the monotonous humming, the same sound in an everlasting loop.

While looking Garry immediately pulled back his head, his face pale. "What's wrong?" I mouth the question to him, worry filling me. "She's there. Just beside us." At this, we both huddled closer in the small space, slowing our breathing as best as we could. As we did, the scrapping and humming ended, a sickly sweet voice replacing almost instantly. "Ib. I know you're here. Why are you hiding from me? I only want to play." Steps got close to our corner. "I bet this is all that idiot Garry's fault! He was always mean! Never reading us stories or being kind to me.. Now he's taking you away!" The steps began to move away from us. "IT'S ALL HIS FAULT!" I heard a sharp sound, followed by the sound of something ripping; this repeat several times. Garry and I stood waiting to hear her next move, but only heard the footsteps get further and further away until the area was quiet once more.

Garry peeked out around the corner once Mary could no longer be heard, letting out a sigh. "She's gone. For now.." We left the small area in the wall, looking around once more. Everything for the most part was normal. However, on the wall facing the hall Garry's frame was in, there was a message, carved into the drywall. It read: _**DEAREST IB. END THIS GAME NOW. OR WILL BE FORCED TO MYSELF. **_As I read the crudely written words, I was certain that things were going to be much more difficult that I had once thought.

* * *

**A/N: How was it? I'm not the most romantic person in the world so sorry if this chapter sounds a bit cliche. With Valentine's Day just barely behind us, I felt this chapter was needed. **

** Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm so sorry for not updating lately, but I will try my hardest to update more frequently. **

**As usual, if you enjoyed, please feel free to favorite, follow, and review.**

**Until then, bye~!**


End file.
